SLA interference irks Trinco UC President

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 November 1998, 00:03 GMT]"If the Security Forces intend to continue to enforce their powers on the Trincomalee Urban Council we will be forced to recommend to the Government to dissolve the Urban Council," said the Urban Council President P. Sooriyamoorthy in a letter addressed to Major General G.S.C. Fonseka who was newly appointed as the commander of the 22nd Division.

This was written in response to a letter by Major Gen. Fonseka related to the opening of the New Trincomalee market.

Sooriyamoorthy further added, "The new market was conceived as a need to serve the people of Trincomalee. But the Security service commanders say that this will be an impediment to peace in the city. If that is so what is the responsibility of the Urban Council?

"In the South of Sri Lanka, the Provincial councils and the Ministries allocate hundreds of thousands of rupees to Pradeshya Sabhas for building markets. It is unfair to prevent the opening of the Trinco New Market which was built from Trincomalee tax payers' money. To impose the condition that the old market has to be renovated before the new market is opened is unreasonable and we cannot accept it. We anticipate that only when the democratically elected representatives are allowed to conduct the civil administration without any interference, will the new market be opened."

Copies of the letter were sent to the Provincial Governor and the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government.

Major Gen Fonseka, in a previous letter addressed to UC President Sooriyamoorthy had said that the Security forces had to get involved to preserve peace and ethnic harmony, and that although the UC President was invited to participate in the deliberations related to the opening of the New Market he failed to do so. "We request you to carryout the repairs to the old market promptly," the Major's letter further said.